Peppy player

[rpi]

The issue was in one configuration parameter. If you still have the disk image for Rubens edition
you can change it. That will fix the issue.
Login to pi
Change the parameter in file /home/pi/Peppy/config.txt from
use.headless = True
to
use.headless = False
Reboot: sudo reboot.

I also updated the disk image on github. You can use it as well.
Disk Images * project-owner/PeppyPlayers.doc Wiki * GitHub

The following project is also using radio from 1940's:
Internet radio in 1940 vintage RCA case – HiFiBerry

If you will decide to share your project please let me know. The image(s) and short description
of your project could be placed in the Gallery:
Gallery * project-owner/PeppyPlayers.doc Wiki * GitHub

Happy Peppy

[WetOne]

That's good -- I just finished with your earlier suggestion -- I made a fresh Vermeer, confirmed that it worked, backed up the configs, got the new Peppy and its requirements, restored my old config, rebooted, and - - - nothing. Sound worked (with the alsa test file), but the screen stayed blank and I got no web access. We'll leave that puzzle for later or never.

Next chance I get to work on this I'll start with a fresh Rubens and check the config file. Thanks for your work on this.

[rpi]

If you download disk image for Rubens edition again it will have the fix and there is no need to change anything. Hopefully

[WetOne]

Yes, that's what I did -- downloaded a fresh Rubens image. It installed without a hitch. Thanks for your quick response. As a bonus, I know more about Peppy's configuration files than I would have if everything had worked the first time. Now I'm working through configurating alsa equalizer before I combine the stereo tracks into mono. Once that's done, I'll have everything ready to listen to Peppy while I build the case.

I did see the case to which you linked -- it was a sort of inspiration for me: I think it's an excellent design. I don't want to reuse an antique case, though -- there are a lot of people interested in restoring old radios. I'll certainly post pictures when I'm finished, though it may be six months from now.

Incidentally, you're probably aware that the last picture sent to the screen continues to be displayed after the pi is shut down. It takes removing the power to blank the screen. That confused me for a while -- I thought I had an unresponsive screen. I'd suggest you blank the screen as a part of Peppy's shutdown process. That would remind users that they need to cycle the power to start their radio.

Thanks again for sharing Peppy with the world.

[WetOne]

Oops. Shutting down Peppy with the touchscreen or web UI button does blank the screen. It's only shutting it down via a PuTTY terminal that leaves the last screensaver on the display.

So the display is normally blanked on shutdown, but still powered. I imagine that's about the limit of software control.

[rpi]

Hmm, interesting coincidence - I'm adding equalizer UI to Peppy player right now
It took me some time to figure out how to control it from Peppy player.

I'll try to address that issue with screen upon shutdown in the next release.
Good luck with your project.

[WetOne]

I have equalization working. I (mostly) followed these instructions from hifiberry.com. I had to change a parameter in players.txt in the section [vlc.linux]
from: server.command = --aout=alsa -- alsa-audio-device=hw --verbose=-1
to: server.command = --aout=alsa --alsa-audio-device=equal --verbose=-1

I'm still having a bit of trouble, though. I've worked my to the "streams" section, and it doesn't function for me. What happens is that both the touchscreen and the webUI freeze without playing the stream -- whatever was playing (radio, audiobook) continues to play. At first I thought it was because the supplied stream URL "http://kuow.streamguys1/kuow2-hi.mp3" doesn't exist. Changing it to "http://kuow.streamguys1/kuow1-hi.mp3" which does work doesn't help, nor does making a list of 3 more working streams.

Perhaps I'm missing another parameter? I'd appreciate your advice.

[rpi]

It looks like there is a bug in Web UI for Streams. The easiest workaround is to
disable Web UI by setting parameter in config.txt:
use.web = False
I'll fix disk images tomorrow. Thank you for reporting the issue.

As for the equalizer it was not so obvious how to control it from player's UI
instead of amixer UI. Then I found two ways. One way is to send to stdin of
the amixer some parameters:
echo cset numid=1 74 > amixer -D equal -s
numid defines the frequency band number and the number after that defines the signal value in that band

Another way is to use alsaequal-mgr. Though I'm not sure if there is one available for Raspbian. Need to check that out.

[rpi]

Another workaround which doesn't need new disk image is to get code fix from github
directly. First, create the backup copy if you want to preserve your configuration:
mv Peppy Peppy.bak
get the whole code including fix from github as described here (git clone...):
Expert * project-owner/Peppy.doc Wiki * GitHub
Then copy your configuration files. That's it.

[rpi]

The disk images with bug fix are available now as well:
Disk Images * project-owner/PeppyPlayers.doc Wiki * GitHub


Please let me know if you will face any other issue. This way we will make it bug free app